Modder's "Ask-a-Question" Thread

My question...after studying and attempting to tweak the Distant Stars/Celestial Bodies mod version of the Black Hole entity and its abilities and buffs so that the black hole is a) ownable by a player and b) has its abilities and buffs NOT affect the owning player...well, I just can't get it right.  I can get it so the game doesn't minidump but it doesn't do anything.

Can someone  provide the correctly edited solution for this from Distant Stars?  I am working on ways to incorporate limited and strategically placed AI players in multi-player games while keeping lag down and preventing the AI's from expanding /breaking balance/increasing lag.  I've asked this a couple of times elsewhere and got no answers. Yes, I am still a modding noob. Thanks.

Here are the Distant Stars ability/buff file names:

entityName "AbilityATTRACTIONFIELD.entity"
entityName "AbilityATTRACTIONFIELD2.entity"
entityName "AbilityBLACKHOLE.entity"
entityName "AbilityBLACKHOLE2.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldCaster.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldCaster2.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldTarget.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldTarget2.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleCaster.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleCaster2.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleTarget.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleTarget2.entity"

I believe that is all the relevant files.  There is a black hole and a "black hole star" variation but it is the planet type black hole I will need to use.  The files can be directly downloaded in TXt (as a zipped file)  here as "DS_BlackHole.zip"

Link to the Distant Stars thread: https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/335474

I'll watch for the answer in the answer thread (fingers crossed):https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/407617

PARTLY RESOLVED

I am working on creating a way to force the game to build only one ship of a certain type (aka a Flagship) at a time. I am currently working the direction of using Fleet Beacon and am attempting to find some way to make it only active if there is no Flagship alive.

I would like a list of the usual suspects in regards to "STRING NOT FOUND" errors.

Currently i`m trying to write a number of new abilities and i keep getting thwarted by this error.

Maybe we could have a thread sticky for a thread about "String not found"?

I changed logistics values on the Phase, Psi and tech culture centers in my mod to require only one slot yet they seem not to work,  Any solutions?

SOLVED

A question for a question then as I've wondered on this too.

Here's what I'm wondering.

If I use the fleet beacon to call in the flagship and use the following: a buff (lets call it FlagshipAlive) that has no finish condition other than when the structure is destroyed. And have another buff (FlagshipDead) that waits for that buff to finish.

Then have a passive ability on the flagship as the fifth ability that simply starts a buff that waits for owner death.

OnOwnerDeath the buff targets all structures you own and removes the buff (FlagshipAlive) that is on the flagship structure.

The structure's buff FlagshipDead now finishes off allowing the main buff to rexecute the buff sequence (using stacking rules to keep it from re-executing).

General Idea:

AbilityFlagship (Passive)
buffInstantActionType->BuffFlagship

BuffFlagship
PeriodicAction->BuffFlagshipDead

BuffFlagshipDead (non-stacking, PrioritizeOldBuffs)
InstantAction->BuffFlagshipAlive

finishCondition->FirstSpawnerNoLongerHasBuff(BuffFlagshipAlive)

BuffFlagshipAlive
InstantAction->FleetBeacon

So two questions:

1. Can a buff target structures anywhere in the galaxy? if not, can a buff target planets (similar to psi ability) to target structures owned by you?
2. Can a buff wait for a sub-buff to complete? I know sub-buffs can wait for the parent buff to complete, but I haven't tried the opposite.

This may not be possible, just thinking outside the box...

Here's a question for ya to start things off. Well, actually, it's more like several questions.

Question 1

I want to remove Influence entirely. I guess the easiest way to do this would be to remove the distance-based influence loss on planets and then all related modifiers. I'm not sure where the best place to start this would be.

Question 2

I think part of this is contained in researches but I'm not sure. I want to entirely remove fleet upkeep and change the supply caps to something like 200+20 per research or somesuch.

Question 3

Having zero experience in ability editing, is it possible to create a channeled beam ability that steals life from a target enemy ship?

/edit All Solved/answered, thanks bros

Sorry wrong place.

No problem.  Now give me your first born transgressor!

Hi, I have 2 questions:

1. where can I find a tutoral on how to mod sins

2. How do you convert freespace 2 models (.pof files) to models sins uses

thanks

Many posts throughout the forum (check some of the links at the beginning of this thread)--search for them as needed.

A great place to start is here:http://soase.weebly.com/index.html

Looking at other mods once you learn a little is a great place to start.

The game is "very particular" and one jot out of order will render your effort useless.  The abilities which is what empowers weapons, ships, planets and the like are very poorly documented.  Individual mods have piece by piece deciphered various working and non-working combinations.  No single place has a "complete explanation".

Modding requires changing/adding entity files in the GameInfo and in texture and particle and mesh folders as well if you are making model, effect or gui changes.

All these changes have to be accurately reflected and pointed to in the string and manifest files as well as possibly in the galaxyscenariodef file.  It all depends on the change you are working towards.  Editing the files requires converting them to TXT from Entity and several converters are avaialble.

You will definitely have to ask questions to get started.  Download Harpo's mod pack (linked at the OP of this thread). Good luck.

How did you get the answers?

Thank you sinperium. But you didnt anyswer my second question. Now my centurion will have to kill u lol

I do not know the answer to that.  But you may bring it, toaster.

Edit:  I did look into it a little and it looks pretty deep on the POF end.  It looks like Truespace and 3DS Max are the apps you will need to receive converted POF files.  You'll need to research.

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/POF_Constructor_Suite

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/POF_Constructor_Suite_2

That is my first question,how can i make a new ability(i want a clocking ability)



Quick question.

Mesh Holes. Why Shouldnt we have them? Does it affect game rendering?

Assert @ C:\Projects\P4\SinsDiplomacy\Release\CodeSource\Engine/DataStructures/DynamicArray.h(128)

i < size

Can anyone tell me how to resolve this error, I know exactly what is making it, but unsure how to resolve it?

planetItemsTemplate
 templateName "Template:DefaultStart_DeadAsteroid"
 subTemplates 0
 groups 1
  group
   condition
    type "Always"
    param ""
   owner "Rebel"
   colonizeChance 1
   items 21
    item "Phase:Frigate:Colony"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"

-When I add the Capital Ships into the spawn list, it gives the dev.exe error, but I am unsure as to what it means? Need a translator in gibberish please!

.

It may be things for like the Description, or the name etc of these abilities, have you checked these are all listed correctly and spelt correctly in your string file?

Try the Modder's Get An Answer thread--better luck there.

Hey guys, i made a new race and for some reason when i get in game using it, i start without any ships, constructors or facilities around my initial planet.

All i did was copy the PsiLoyalist and rename all the relevant stuff.I also added a new ship mesh to replace the light frigate which works fine once the constructors finally spawn.

Sorry if this is a spam question, I tried a search for constructors which brought back so many results and refining it didn't prove to be much helpful either im afraid.

Any help is much appreciated

edit: 2012 lol.. Oh man its been that long? Sorry for the necro posting. Is their a new thread to direct modding questions?

In case you never found it--go here for Q&A on modding (not how to play): https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/407617

Ok, I keep having a issue with Particle forge, upon clicking on the .exe, it boots up but does nothing but sit there without actually opening the program itself. I have tried validating my game files multiple times to no avail, and I am at a loss on how to fix the issue.

Anyone who can lend a hand pleas do! 

Try the "Get An Answer" thread above.  If you look in the header there you will see KrdaxDrkrun's particle forge help thread.